Refrigerator cabinet breaker assembly

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator cabinet includes an interior liner, an exterior cabinet and a breaker assembly. The breaker assembly connects the interior liner and the exterior cabinet and maintains a space therebetween. The breaker assembly includes a first breaker strip. The first breaker strip has a forward leg, a side leg, and a clip portion. The side leg extends from the forward leg and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the forward leg. The clip portion is carried by the forward leg. An adjacent side surface of the exterior cabinet is defined by a sheet of cardboard. The cardboard is captured between the side leg and the clip portion.

This application claims the benefit of provisional application60/351,657 filed Oct. 25, 2001.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to refrigerators. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a breaker assembly for arefrigerator cabinet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicles, including but not limited to recreational vehicles (“RVs”),tractor trailers, airplanes, boats, trains, and the like oftenincorporate refrigerators for the comfort and convenience of theoccupants. Such refrigerators conventionally include an exterior cabinetand an interior liner. The interior liner is spaced from the exteriorcabinet. Insulation material is inserted into this space. A breaker isused to maintain a proper spacing between the interior liner and theexterior cabinet.

Conventional breakers are constructed of metal and utilized tointerconnect the front faces of the interior liner and the exteriorcabinet. Known breakers for vehicle refrigerators are typically formedto engage flanges on the liner and the exterior cabinet. The breakerassists in holding the interior liner and the exterior cabinet in aspaced relationship until insulating material can be placed therebetweenand cured while the cabinet is in a fixture. The breaker also functionsto define a contact surface for a magnetic gasket carried by the door.

While known breakers have proven to be satisfactory for their intendedpurposes of maintain a proper spacing between the exterior cabinet andthe inner liner and defining a contact surface for a magnetic gasket,they are all associated with limitations. For example, cabinets forvehicle refrigerators typically include top, bottom and side breakerstrips each having a side that extends completely across an adjacentsurface of the cabinet.

Accordingly, it remains a need in the pertinent art to provide a breakerassembly for a refrigerator cabinet that overcomes the limitationsassociated with the prior known arrangements, including but not limitedto those disadvantages discussed above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a general object of the present invention to provide arefrigerator cabinet having a breaker assembly that requires a reducedamount of metal and is correspondingly lighter in weight.

In one particular form, the present invention provides a refrigeratorcabinet including an interior liner, an exterior cabinet and a breakerassembly. The breaker assembly connects the interior liner and theexterior cabinet and maintains a space therebetween. The breakerassembly includes a first breaker strip. The first breaker strip has aforward leg, a side leg, and a clip. The side leg extends from theforward leg and is oriented substantially perpendicular to the forwardleg. The clip portion is carried by the forward leg. An adjacent sidesurface of the cabinet is defined by a sheet of cardboard. An edge ofthe cardboard is captured between the side leg and the clip.

In another particular form, the present invention provides a method ofmanufacturing a refrigerator cabinet for a motor vehicle. Therefrigerator cabinet has an interior liner and an exterior cabinet. Themethod includes the step of inserting the interior liner to the exteriorcabinet to define a space therebetween. The method additionally includesthe step of providing a breaker assembly for connecting the interiorliner and exterior cabinet and maintaining the space. The breakerassembly includes a breaker strip having a forward leg, a side legextending from the forward leg and oriented substantially perpendicularto the forward leg and a clip portion carried by the forward leg. Themethod further includes the steps of engaging a portion of the interiorliner with the clip portion and capturing an edge of an adjacent side ofthe cabinet between the clip portion and the side leg.

Additional advantages and features of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and appended claims, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Further areas of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It shouldbe understood that the detailed description and specific examples, whileindicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended forpurposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet of a refrigeratorincorporating a breaker assembly constructed in accordance with theteachings of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the detail shown in circle 2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a first or bottom breakerstrip of the breaker assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4—4 of FIG. 3, thefirst breaker strip shown operatively associated with a portion of aliner.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the first breaker strip of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a joint between the firstbreaker strip and a second or lateral side breaker strip.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merelyexemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention,its application, or uses.

With initial reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a breaker assembly for arefrigerator constructed in accordance with the teachings of a preferredembodiment of the present invention is illustrated and generallyidentified at reference character 10. The breaker assembly 10 is shownincorporated into a particular refrigerator 12. The refrigerator 12 willbe understood to be merely exemplary. In this regard, it will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art that the teachings of the presentinvention are not limited to any particular refrigerator. However, theteachings of the present invention are particularly adapted for vehiclerefrigerators.

Prior to addressing the specifics of the breaker assembly 10 of thepresent invention, a brief understanding of the remainder of therefrigerator 12 is warranted. The refrigerator 12 is illustrated togenerally include an exterior cabinet 14 and an interior liner 16. Theliner 16 is received within the exterior cabinet 14 and defines astorage compartment 18. In the particular embodiment shown in thedrawings, the interior liner 16 defines a lower refrigerator compartmentand an upper freezer compartment.

While not specifically shown in the drawings, it will be understood thata space or cavity is conventionally defined between the cabinet 14 andthe liner 16. Insulation is introduced into the cavity in a liquid form.While the cabinet 14 is in a reinforcing fixture, the liquid insulationis cured through an exothermic reaction into a foam. The breakerassembly 10 of the present invention operates to maintain proper spacingbetween the cabinet 14 and the liner 16 prior to the curing of theinsulation and defines a contact surface for a magnetic gasket (notshown) carried by a door (not shown).

With continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 and additional reference toFIGS. 3 through 7, the breaker assembly 10 of the present invention willbe further described. The breaker assembly 10 is illustrated togenerally include a bottom breaker strip 20, an upper breaker side 22and a pair of spaced apart lateral side breaker strips 24 and 26. Thebreaker assembly 10 further includes a central breaker strip 28. Insofaras the present invention is concerned, the central breaker strip 28 isconventional in construction.

In the embodiment illustrated, the upper and side breaker strips 22, 24and 26 are formed from a common sheet of metal. After forming, thiscommon sheet of metal is bent in two places to define intersectionsbetween a first lateral side breaker strip 24 and the upper breakerstrip 22 and also between a second lateral side breaker strip 26 and theupper breaker strip 22. The upper and side breaker strips 22, 24, and 26will be understood to have a cross-section which is substantiallyidentical to that of the bottom breaker strip 20 (as shown particularlyin FIG. 4).

In large part, the subject invention is directed to the configuration ofthe breaker strips 20-26 and the manner in which the breaker strips20-26 engage adjacent sides of the exterior cabinet 14. The subjectinvention also relates to a method of manufacturing a refrigerator. As aresult of the common cross-section shared by the breaker strips 20-26,most of the remainder of this detailed description is directed to thebottom breaker strip 20 and its interconnection to the liner 16 andexterior cabinet 14. It will be understood that the remaining breakerstrips 22-26 similarly engage the exterior cabinet 14.

The bottom breaker strip 20 includes a forward leg 30 and a side leg 32.The side leg 32 extends from the forward leg 30 and is orientedsubstantially parallel to the forward leg 30. In one application, theside leg has a depth D of approximately 45 mm.

The bottom breaker strip 20 is formed to additionally include a clip orclip portion 34. In the preferred embodiment, the clip portion 34 iscarried by the forward leg 30. The clip portion 34, forward leg 30 andside leg 32 are preferably formed of a single sheet of metal. An upperedge 36 of the forward leg 30 is rolled over and transitions to the clipportion 34. The clip portion 34 defines an opening 38 for receiving aflange 40 of the liner 16. The liner 16 is received in the direction ofarrow A (shown in FIG. 4).

A surface 42 of the cabinet 14 adjacent the bottom breaker 20 (i.e., thebottom surface) is defined by a sheet of cardboard 44. The sheet ofcardboard 44 is preferably foil-coated. An edge 46 of the cardboardsheet 44 is captured between the clip portion 34 and the side leg 32. Analternate arrangement is shown in FIG. 4 in phantom lines in which theedge 46′ of the cardboard sheet 44 is folded over and introduced betweenthe clip portion 34 and the side leg 32. With particular reference tothe cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, the insulation is introduced inliquid form between the liner 16 and the sheet of cardboard 44.

The bottom breaker strip 20 of the present invention is illustrated tofurther include a pair of tabs 50 that laterally extend from the opposedends of the forward leg 30. The tabs 50 are generally parallel to butstepped rearwardly from the forward leg 30. In the preferred embodiment,the tabs 50 are integrally formed with the forward leg 30 and areconnected through a stepped segment 52.

The tabs 50 cooperate with adjacent ends of the lateral side breakerstrips 24 and 26 to define a pair of joints 54 (one of which isspecifically shown in FIG. 6). A forward side of the tabs 50 abuts arear side of a forward face 56 of a corresponding one of the sides 24and 26 of the primary breaker strip 21. The clip portion 34′ of theadjacent lateral side breaker 26 is partially cut away to accommodatethe tab 50. In this manner, a joint 54 having flush forward legs 30 and56 is defined.

As discussed above, the upper and lateral side breaker strips 22-26engage an adjacent side of the exterior cabinet 14 in an identicalmanner. Similar to the bottom side 42, the remaining sides arefoil-coated cardboard. As with the bottom side breaker strip 20, theside legs of the remaining breaker strips 22-24 extend onlyapproximately 45 mm from the corresponding forward side.

The particular arrangement of the present invention is well suit toeliminate leak paths which may otherwise allow the liquid form of theinsulation to seep from the cavity between the exterior cabinet 14 andthe interior liner 16 prior to exothermic curing. Furthermore, thesubject design eliminates a substantial amount of metal and acorresponding amount of weight as compared to the prior art.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and,thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention areintended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations arenot to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

1. A refrigerator cabinet comprising: an interior liner; an exteriorcabinet; and a breaker assembly connecting a portion of the interiorliner and a portion of the exterior cabinet and maintaining a spacetherebetween, the breaker assembly having a first breaker strip, thefirst breaker strip including: a forward leg; a side leg extending fromthe forward leg and oriented substantially perpendicular to the forwardleg; a clip portion carried by the forward leg; and a laterallyextending tab depending from the forward leg of the first breaker strip,the tab being parallel to but offset from the forward leg of the firstbreaker strip; wherein an adjacent side surface of the exterior cabinetis defined by a sheet, the sheet having an edge captured between theside leg and the clip portion.
 2. The breaker for a refrigerator cabinetof claim 1, wherein the edge of the sheet is folded over.
 3. The breakerfor a refrigerator cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a foamdisposed in the space.
 4. The breaker for a refrigerator cabinet ofclaim 1, wherein the forward leg, the side leg, and the clip portion areformed from a common sheet of metal.
 5. The breaker for a refrigeratorcabinet of claim 1, wherein the breaker assembly further includes asecond breaker strip having a forward leg and a side leg, the secondbreaker strip and the first breaker strip intersecting at a joint. 6.The breaker for a refrigerator cabinet of claim 1, wherein the tab abutsa rear surface of the forward leg of the second breaker strip.
 7. Thebreaker for a refrigerator cabinet of claim 1, wherein the first breakerstrip is a bottom breaker strip and the adjacent side surface is abottom surface.
 8. The breaker for a refrigerator cabinet of claim 5,wherein the first breaker strip is a bottom breaker strip, the adjacentside surface is a bottom surface, and the second breaker strip is alateral side breaker strip.
 9. A method of manufacturing a refrigeratorcabinet having an interior liner and an exterior cabinet, the methodcomprising the steps of: inserting the interior liner into the exteriorcabinet to define a space therebetween; providing a breaker assembly forconnecting the interior liner and the exterior cabinet and maintainingthe space, the breaker assembly including a breaker strip having aforward leg, a side leg extending from the forward leg and orientedsubstantially perpendicular to the forward leg, and a clip portioncarried by the forward leg; and engaging a portion of the interior linerwith the clip portion; and capturing an edge of an adjacent side of thecabinet between the clip portion and the side leg.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, further comprising the step of introducing a foam into thespace.
 11. A breaker assembly for a refrigerator having an interiorliner and an exterior cabinet, the breaker assembly for connecting aportion of the interior liner and a portion of the exterior cabinet andmaintaining a space therebetween, the breaker assembly comprising: afirst breaker strip, the first breaker strip including: a forward leg; aside leg extending from the forward leg and oriented substantiallyperpendicular to the forward leg; and a clip portion integrally formedto include a first portion, a second portion and intermediate portionconnecting the first and second portions, the first and second portionsspaced apart to define an opening configured to receive the interiorliner, the second portion carried by the forward leg; the side leg andthe intermediate portion of the clip portion defines means for capturingan edge of a planar member of an adjacent side surface of the exteriorcabinet.
 12. The breaker assembly for a refrigerator of claim 11,wherein the first breaker strip is a bottom breaker strip and theadjacent side surface is a bottom surface.
 13. The breaker assembly fora refrigerator of claim 11, wherein the clip portion is integrallyformed with the side leg.
 14. The breaker for a refrigerator cabinet ofclaim 11, further comprising a foam disposed in the space.
 15. Thebreaker for a refrigerator cabinet of claim 11, wherein the forward leg,the side leg, and the clip portion are formed from a common sheet ofmetal.
 16. The breaker for a refrigerator cabinet of claim 11, whereinthe breaker assembly further includes a second breaker strip having aforward leg and a side leg, the second breaker strip and the firstbreaker strip intersecting at a joint.
 17. The breaker for arefrigerator cabinet of claim 11, wherein the first breaker strip is abottom breaker strip, the adjacent side surface is a bottom surface, andthe second breaker strip is a lateral side breaker strip.
 18. Thebreaker for a refrigerator cabinet of claim 11, in combination with arefrigerator.
 19. The breaker assembly for a refrigerator of claim 11,wherein the planar member is a sheet of cardboard.
 20. The breaker for arefrigerator cabinet of claim 19, wherein the edge of the sheet isfolded over.
 21. The breaker for a refrigerator of claim 11, wherein themeans for capturing and edge of a planar member includes a gap.